MLB Bullets Is Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Its Hair

Good morning, Friday. Pour some milk on your MLB Bullets.

• The Giants acquired infielder Eduardo Nunez in a trade with the Twins that sent minor league pitching prospect Adalberto Mejia to Minnesota.
• Grant Brisbee breaks down the deal for the Giants, who got better and more flexible, but at a high price.
• Over at Twinkie Town, Andrew Bryzgornia isn't excited, but is "satisfied."
• Paul Swydan has a neutral take on the deal.
• One other deal as the Rangers picked up Braves pitchers Lucas Harrell and Dario Alvarez for minor leaguer Travis Demeritte.
• Jeff Sullivan thinks that Alvarez is the key piece in this deal and the reason that the Rangers gave up a highly-regarded prospect in Demeritte.
• Now on to rumors, which are infinitely more interesting than real deals. The Mets and Brewers are continuing to negotiate a deal that would send catcher Jonathan Lucroy to Queens.
• The Diamondbacks are close to a deal that would send reliever Daniel Hudson to a Mystery Team. I think he'll fit right in with Fred, Velma, Daphne, Shaggy and Scooby.
• Many teams are interested in Mariners pitcher Taijuan Walker.
• The White Sox have made James Shields available in a deal.
• The Royals are trying to trade pitcher Ian Kennedy, so they're trying to package him with reliever Wade Davis reportedly.
• Dave Cameron tries to calculate exactly how much "negative trade value" that Kennedy has right now.
• Jeff Sullivan thinks the Royals should consider dealing pitcher Danny Duffy instead. Because he'd bring back a fortune in this market.
• Matt Snyder explains why the looming 2018 season affects everything the Royals do in 2016.
• David Schoenfield looks over this year's trade market and declares that it's pretty dull. He has some suggestions to liven it up. (And no, they don't include "Theo. You can keep Aroldis Chapman or you can exchange him for what's behind Door Number Three." Although putting Monty Hall in charge of all trades would be awesome.)
• Jayson Stark explains why there are no good starting pitchers available this year. But Ian Kennedy is available!
• Grant Brisbee puts the blame on certain pitchers not being better for the poor trade deadline.
• Ken Rosenthal reports on the Nationals moving on to Plan B in their search for a relief ace. Also other trade rumors from Robo-thal.
• Anthony Castrovince makes some trade deadline predictions.
• I don't know how the Tigers front office feels, but their players think they should be buyers and not sellers at the trade deadline. GM Al Avila says he'll likely stand pat.
• Oliver Lee Bateman has a report on an under-reported aspect of the trade market. How do ballplayers pick up their lives and move to a new city on a moment's notice?
• Dee Gordon returned to the Marlins after his suspension and apologizes to his teammates and fans.
• Anna McDonald reports that it's going to be a problem working Gordon back into the Marlins lineup.
• Ichiro Suzuki has always claimed that he could hit home runs if he wanted to, but that it would cost him too many hits. Ben Lindbergh runs the numbers to see whether Ichiro was smart to stay a singles hitter.
• The Padres, of all teams, have tied a National League home run for home runs in consecutive games.
• Eno Sarris breaks down Rich Hill's pitching mechanics to see how he turned his career around. (ESPN Insider Only)
• Zach Kram has three pitchers who have turned their careers around with an improved breaking ball.
• Neil Paine charts out which closers are best at cleaning up their own messes. Maybe he shouldn't have published this right before Jeurys Familia blew back-to-back saves.
• Political news, whether you like it or not. The Cobb County commissioner who was the driving force behind the Braves new stadium was defeated in his bid for re-election.
• Tom Verducci makes the case for a shorter baseball season in rather apocalyptic tones.
• Chris Iannetta and Vernon Wells have started a winery together.
• White Sox pitcher Chris Sale wants to "do something charitable" with the jerseys he sliced to bits. OK, that's actually a good move.
• Maybe Miguel Sano can do the same thing with the bat he broke over his knee, "Bo Jackson-style."
• Jose Fernandez just donated this ball to a random fan high in the stands when he tossed it there when the umpire called time out while he went into his motion.
• Vice Sports has a great short film on Carlos Tabares, the greatest baseball player you've never heard of.
• And finally, the Minnesota Twins scoreboard operator broke a big trade news when he reported that the Indians had acquired Carlos Beltran. Only problem was that the news came from a fake Buster Olney Twitter account.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Accept no imitations.